- It is important for people of all ages to eat a healthy diet. If suffering from high blood pressure, they should have a diet low in salts and pickles, consume less oily and fried foods.

- If diabetic, diet should be low in sugars and consume foods with low glycemic index. It is always a good option to consume fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables and avoid all sorts of junk food.

- Senior citizens who have been sedentary should start exercising slowly, by taking short walks every day

- One of the most preventable causes of heart attacks is smoking. It is always better to quit smoking at any age. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

- Keep your blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol in good control

-Try and lead a stress-free life; visit your doctor on a regular basis

Steps for caregivers if an elderly has a heart attack outside hospital include having that person sit down, rest and try to keep calm, followed by loosening any tight clothing.

- Keep constantly reassuring them that medical aid is on its way. If the person takes any medication for chest pain or a heart condition, help them take it.

- Call for help and immediately, take the person to the hospital.

What things to avoid:

- Do not leave the person alone, except to call for help.

- Do not give anything by mouth, unless a heart medication is prescribed

- Do not wait to see if the symptoms go away. Take the person immediately to the hospital

Once a person develops a heart attack, the medical intervention is to get the blood flowing back to the heart. Just remember, each and every minute matters.

The sooner the treatment is received, once the symptoms of heart attack are noticed, the less damage will be caused to the heart. In most cases, an elderly individual will live through a heart attack, if they get the emergency help at the earliest. Delay of even a few minutes can be fatal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)